Salute to Service

November 7, 2017
Project Hero celebrates the service of all who serve our country and this week will feature a Salute to Service each day this week leading up to the 8th Optum Honor Ride - Vegas on Veteran's Day, Saturday, Nov. 11.

Today kicks-off the Optum Women's Initiative presented by the Pritzker Military Foundation. 50 women, who have suffered mental and physical trauma during their service to our country, will take part this week outside of Gainesville, FL. Co-Director's Beatriz De Los Santos (an Army Veteran) and Jaimie Lynch have a week of programming for the participants including team building, peer to peer support, and of course a few rides. Most of the participants will be taking part in their first ever Project Hero event.

For the women, the event is life changing. They have even formed their own female only peer to peer support group.

"Thank you for creating a program where people like me don't feel alone and isolated. I can truly be myself while I'm riding. And because we are suffering together, we are able to create stronger bonds and heal."

We would like to thank Optum and Col. Jennifer Pritzker (who has personally participated in the Women's Initiative) for their unwavering support of female service members.